


Late Friday Night

by bagelauthor



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst, Drunk karaoke, Drunken Shenanigans, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay, M/M, Set in Season 1, also au where tim doesnt fucking hate jon, it gets sad then it gets cute bear with me, jonmartin, just a friday night pub visit babyyyy, no beta we die kayaking like tim, sasha is the only adult here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:07:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28279626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bagelauthor/pseuds/bagelauthor
Summary: After a long week at the Archives, Tim decides he needs a drink or three, and he invites his friends to come and join him at his favorite pub.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Comments: 4
Kudos: 62





	Late Friday Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AbsoluteTrash22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbsoluteTrash22/gifts).



> so my partner was like "yo what if the season 1 archives gang went and got drunk" and i just HAD to write this... enjoy!!! <3

Tim needed to get drunk. He wasn’t an alcoholic or anything, heavens no, and he would say so to anyone who dared imply it. He just needed a few drinks now and then… and he also needed to get absolutely wasted once in a while. Going to a pub on a Friday evening and getting shitfaced is a great way to destress! And after a week like this one? God, he needed a pint.

So, as 5 'o'clock rolled around on this particular Friday, and all (well, almost all) of the archival staff were getting ready to leave, Tim decided to invite a few of his friends to go and have a few drinks with him.

He finished writing his last few sentences, closed his computer, and properly unplugged his USB drive. He stood up for the first time in a while and pushed in his wheelie chair, reaching up to the sky in a very much needed stretch. He yawned as he grabbed his bag and his coat, heading for the workstation of his best friend, Sasha.

“Hey, Sash,” he grinned, throwing his coat over his shoulder and leaning against the wall.

“Hiya Tim,” she sighed, smiling softly, still typing furiously on her computer.

“Haven’t wrapped up yet?” he asked, balancing himself back on his own two feet and walking behind her, leaning himself on the back of her chair and viewing her computer screen.

“Almost,” Sasha said, her mouth agape in concentration. “Jonny had me start research on this new statement,” she said, looking behind her shoulder at Tim, “and you know how he gets when we don’t finish his work on time.”

“And calling him ‘Jonny’ too? Mr. Sims would have your head on a platter for that one,” Tim said, his smile incurable and contagious.

Sasha caught his smile, too. “Better finish this up, then,” she grinned, turning back to her computer and typing again, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.

“Well,” Tim said, standing upright again, “you take your time with that. Wouldn’t want you getting fired or anything.” Tim beamed, and he could hear the snort from Sasha even with her back turned. “When you finish, I think I’m gonna go get a few drinks down at the pub. You in?”

“Is that even a question, my friend?”

“I’ll take that as a yes!”

Tim slung his jacket over his shoulder again, hitting Sasha with a playful wink and tongue click. She rolled her eyes, starting to type again, but she couldn’t contain her smile - and Tim couldn’t contain his, either.

Tim headed for the door, but stopped halfway as he got an idea. As lovely as Sasha’s company was, there was someone else who probably needed a night out on the town. And hey, maybe it wouldn’t be absolutely horrible to get a drink with him, either. Tim walked around the corner to the outside of Jon’s office, knocking at the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Tim. Can I come in?”

The walls weren’t too thick in these archives, so Tim could easily hear the sigh of annoyance from Jon.

“Come in.”

Tim opened the door with a smile and stepped in. “Hey, boss.”

Jon sighed and pursed his lips, looking back down at the papers on his desk once he realized Tim didn’t have anything important in his hands. “Hello, Tim. Anything you need?”

Jon wasn’t in the best of moods - Tim could tell. For a moment, he was considering just telling him goodnight and walking out the door, just having a drink with Sasha alone… No, he should do this. Even if Jon is a workaholic and, okay, yes, a bit of a nerd, he deserves a night out with friends just as much as Sasha does. A night to destress and, god, just get away from his office for once.

Tim walked a few steps closer to Jon. “Sasha and I were going to get a few drinks down at the pub. You want to join us?”

“No, thank you.” Jon said, shuffling the papers to look at a document at the bottom of a pile.

“Oh, come on,” Tim whined. “You didn’t even think about it!”

Jon looked up at him. “I don’t even drink, Tim.”

“Then get a Coke.”

Jon looked back down and sighed. “I don’t have time for a Coke,” he muttered.

“Yes,” Tim said, very matter-of-factly, “you do.” He walked up to his desk, leaning down to look Jon in the eyes. “Just one night, okay? Just get away from your desk. Let yourself have fun. Maybe get something to eat,” he teased, grinning. “We’re not just in it for the alcohol.” Yes they were, but Tim wouldn’t tell Jon that. “Just a night to destress. With your friends,” he smiled, stressing that last word. He might not love Jon all that much, but he really did mean it - he considered him a friend.

Jon looked up at Tim and his puppy dog eyes. He sighed, rubbing his face. “Alright, Tim. You win. Fine. Just give me an hour to finish up here.”

Tim grinned ear to ear, stepping back and clapping his hands together. “You won’t regret this, boss. Promise. It’ll be good for you!”

Jon looked back down at the papers on his desk. “A Coke… Really?” he muttered.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, Jonny. I’ll text you the address,” Tim said, stepping out of his office and closing the door behind him before Jon could reprimand him for the nickname.

Tim passed by Sasha’s desk, knocking on the wall to get her attention. “I’m about to head out. You comin’?”

Sasha didn’t look up, still typing. “I just need twenty. You can go on and get a table.” She looked up at him for a moment, but looked back down at her screen right after. “Same place as usual?” 

“Yup,” said Tim. “Oh, and I invited Jon.”

“Really?” Sasha asked, stopping her typing and looking up at Tim. “And he agreed to it?”

“Believe it or not, he did. I convinced him it’d be good for him.”

“Hm,” Sasha hummed, smiling. “Color me surprised. Alright, then I’ll see you two there.”

Tim smiled and headed for the door, whistling an old tune when he stopped, realizing something. There was only one more person he needed to invite - he almost forgot!

And lo and behold, just as the thought crossed his mind, Martin crossed into Tim’s view, wrapping his scarf around him as he reached for the handle to the main entrance door.

“Martin!” Tim smiled, running over to him. “Oh, your timing is perfect. Sasha and I were just about to go out and get a drink. Oh, and Jon’s coming too. You wanna come?”

Martin looked almost surprised for a moment, but his expression quickly changed intro happiness. “Uh, yeah, sure,” he smiled. “Right now?”

“Right now,” Tim said, putting on his jacket. “You can walk with me if you like.”

“Oh, yeah, absolutely!” Martin beamed. He was just about to head home, but he didn’t really have anything to do there. Spending a night with his friends, on the other hand, wasn’t something he got to do often, so he didn’t want to pass up this chance. “I’m ready when you are, Tim.”

“And…” Tim sang, doing the last button up on his coat. “Ready. Let’s head out, Marto.”

Martin smiled at the name, and he opened the door for Tim, following behind him and closing the door.

“So,” Tim began as the two started walking in tandem down the sidewalk, “Sasha is coming in a bit, but Jon needs a good while to finish up - per usual,” he chuckled. “So, it'll just be you and me for a bit, my friend.”

Martin let out a shaky breath in the cold December air, putting his hands in his pockets. “Alright,” he smiled. “Sounds good to me.”

The two walked side by side for a while, not saying anything. Not out of awkwardness, no, and not out of lack of conversation starters, either. The sound of crunching snow under their Oxfords was a song, and the gentle sound of cars honking in the distance made it a symphony, It was a quiet (which still meant pretty noisy) London night, and the two men were simply enjoying each other’s company, as well as the warmth of each other’s presence. Too bad that can’t warm hands, though. Martin cursed himself for not bringing a pair of gloves to work, the day after the first snow of the year. At least he wouldn’t forget to bring them tomorrow, that’s for sure.

It was a short walk, about eight minutes or so, and Tim guided Martin the whole way, knowing the route by heart.

“Here we are,” Tim said, smiling, as they came across the pub. It was Tim’s favorite, and Sasha liked it, too. “You ever been here before?”

“A couple times, I think,” said Martin, “yeah.”

This time around, Tim opened the door for Martin, and the two walked in. “It's quite cozy,” Tim smiled, closing the door behind him. “Not sure if Jon’s ever been here before, but I have a feeling he’ll like it.”

Martin and Tim took off their coats - even though they were stripping off their layers, they were instantly warmer. The pub was warm, almost hot, even, and it was a relief to the two freezing men. They sighed, their fingers and lungs returning to a normal temperature. They held their coats and walked past the entrance and into the pub, a pretty girl with a ponytail smiling at them and leading them to a booth for four.

They sat down, Tim and Martin sitting across from each other, placing down their coats and getting comfortable in their seats. The woman placed four menus on the table and walked away.

Tim looked around and sighed happily. This was one of his favorite places in the world. The table he rested his arms on was a shiny, polished wood, the same material as the bar, which always had sticky beer stains somewhere on it no matter how hard you cleaned it. It wasn’t even 6 yet, which means that there was an ever growing crowd entering the pub, soon to get raucous and drunk and full of life. Tim spent many nights here, sometimes having a quick drink to clear his mind, sometimes having a night with his friends, one that ends far too late and leaves you with a full belly and sides sore from laughter, sometimes meeting up with someone who’ll call him beautiful for a night. This pub was a part of his life, in countless ways, and he never wanted to part with it for as long as he lived.

Tim looked back at Martin, smiling. “You hungry?”

Martin looked up from his menu and looked at Tim. He was a pretty man, soft and delicate, and his eyes were stars in the dim, cheap lighting. He looked like he had been daydreaming. Tim wasn’t in love with his friend, but he wouldn’t be surprised if he did fall for him one day. Martin was a sweater-wearing angel, and Tim knew he’d make someone very happy. Hey, maybe he could get Martin drunk enough to confess to Jon. That’d be quite a story to tell tomorrow! And, after all, isn’t a pub a good place to fall in love with someone, at least a little bit?

“A little,” said Martin, “you?”

“I could go for something,” Tim said, leaning back and placing his hands on the back of his head, letting himself stretch out. “You can order something if you want, but I’ll wait until Sasha gets here. In the meantime, I’ll just get myself a little tipsy,” he said, grinning.

Martin smiled back - a bit more shy, yes, but Tim’s charisma kept him warm and started melting away the frozen anxiety in his chest. He felt safe here.

A handsome young man with long dark hair came up to their table and asked what they’d like to drink. Tim ordered a cider, not even having to look at the menu, and Martin stared at the menu with an “uhhh” for a moment before impulsively ordering some kind of stout. The man nodded and smiled and walked away with their orders, and Tim already felt tipsy just by looking at his waiter’s lips. A familiar warmth was already settling in him as the stress of his job, his life, everything, melted away, and it was just him, the comforting chatter of people in the background, Martin, and a hard cider (soon).

“I’m gonna be honest, I’m not really even really sure what I ordered,” Martin admitted, giggling.

Tim chuckled right with him. “I’ve had that one before. It’s dark. Chocolatey. I think you’d like it.”

“I didn’t even know they made chocolatey beer,” Martin said, grinning, leaning his head in the palm of his hand.

“They do, and it's delicious.” Tim opened his menu, looking for something that sounded tasty. He usually liked to stick to his usuals when it came to dinner, but maybe he’d try something new tonight. Maybe Sasha wanted to share something…

And speak of the devil, the door opened, a rush of cold air bringing in a flurry of snowflakes and a beautiful girl, wrapped up in a scarf and boots. She spoke to the hostess, who led her to Tim’s table.

“Hi Sasha!” Martin smiled, looking up at her.

“Sashaaaa,” Tim sang, grinning at her,

“Hey Martin,” she said, smiling back. She didn’t know Martin was coming, but she didn’t mind. After all, he was a sweetheart. “Tim,” she said teasingly, sitting down next to him and scooting into the booth. “All right, I’m finally here, now we can really start the party.”

Tim chuckled. “You wanna share some dinner?”

“Oooh yeah, let me see…”

Tim passed her the menu as the handsome waiter came back with Tim and Martin’s drinks, and Sasha got herself a pale ale before he walked away.

“Here’s to hoping Jon shows up,” Tim said, holding up his drink.

“To Jon!” Martin smiled, holding up his.

“Here’s to hoping Jon can get six hours of sleep tonight,” Sasha said, holding up an invisible glass.

They all giggled and clicked their (some real, some metaphorical) glasses together, the two men taking drinks of theirs. Tim sighed as he took a sip, putting his glass down on the table. He looked over to Martin, who was taking a long swig from his glass.

“How is it?” Tim asked Martin.

“Mmm,” Martin hummed, putting his glass down and swallowing. “Good! I was scared it would be gross but I actually really like it.”

“Told ya you’d like it,” Tim smirked, having another sip of his cider.

The waiter came back with Sasha's ale, and the three all drank together. They cheered - to Jon, to the Institute, to Elias’s next divorce, to anything they could think of as an excuse to take another sip. They were full of liquor and love, and everything felt fuzzy and warm in the pub that evening.

Some time had passed - how long exactly nobody knew, everyone was too preoccupied in their friends and their drinks to care about time. The glasses had been emptied, and Tim had already ordered everyone seconds with the promise of paying. The sun had sunk from half-set to fully out of view, leaving the windows pitch black, the soft overhead lighting being the only thing illuminating the pub. Tim loved this part of the night. It was always so gentle - at this hour, the crowd died down, everyone either leaving or just arriving, and the lights casting an orange, loving glow on everyone having a pint tonight. It was like the building itself was writing Tim a love letter. And what better way to reciprocate his feelings than having another round of drinks?

The waiter came back to their table (he looked even cuter than before, Tim thought, under the evening lights), and handed out their seconds. Tim and Sasha ordered some chips to share, and Martin got himself some steak and veggies for dinner. Everyone was giggling, sharing stories and jokes, and there was a warm, fuzzy feeling all around; both in their hearts and in the air around.

“You know,” Tim said, taking another drink of his cider, “I heard David got a new boyfriend.”

“Really,” Martin said, sighing. “All after you thought I had a thing for him.”

“Oh, come on,” Tim said, not being able to control his smile, “it was a good guess!”

“You thought it was Sasha, too,” Martin said as he picked up his glass again, not being able to contain the slight grin, either.

“Don’t tell her that!” Tim said, glancing at Sasha and snickering.

“Did you genuinely think Martin had a ‘thing’ for me?” Sasha asked with air quotes.

“Oh, it was a good guess. Plus, I was just guessing randomly at that point. Martin wouldn’t tell me who it was. But it’s definitely someone,” he said, stressing that last word, “maaaybe a particular boss…”

“Tim, don’t start,” Martin sighed.

“Oh, we all know who it is, Martin,” Tim cried, a huge smile on his face. “You don’t have to say it for us to know.”

“...Don’t tell me it’s that obvious,” Martin said quietly, a soft blush creeping up on his cheeks.

“It kinda is,” said Sasha, “sorry, Martin.”

“Yeah,” Tim said, reaching across the table to put a hand on Martin’s forearm. “It is the most obvious thing I have ever seen in my entire life.”

“Oh, come on!” Martin pulled his hand away and put it on his drink. “It isn’t that obvious. It’s not! A-and even if it is, it’s none of your business.”

“It is,” Tim smiled, “when we’re trying to set you two up.”

Martin opened his mouth to speak (or, well, more likely scream) at Tim, when Sasha spoke before he could - “Not me, Martin. I have no part in this.” She threw up her hands in innocence.

“Tim!” Martin cried, looking around the pub quickly and then at him. He spoke to Tim in a harsh whisper - “Do not set me up with Jon.” Why he was whispering, he didn’t even know himself. Maybe he worried Jon had already arrived and was within earshot. Or maybe he was just embarrassed.

Tim couldn’t help but grin at this. There were very few things he loved more than playing cupid, and he was not giving up on Martin Blackwood just yet. “Martin,” Tim said, touching Martin’s arm gently. This time, Martin did not pull away. “I’ll drop it if you want. But, I’ll have you know, I am very good at matchmaking. If you like Jon, I can lead him to you. And something tells me he likes you back, so my job should be pretty easy.”

“Really?” Martin asked, his eyes softening. “I thought he hated me.”

“I think he’s a coward who’s scared of his emotions,” Tim said, chuckling. It made Martin smile along with him. Sasha snorted, and Tim glared at her. “Sorry, sorry,” she said, “carry on.”

“I know you like him, Martin, and you deserve to be loved. If he’s the man you want to give your heart to, then I’m more than happy to help. And tonight’s a good night to start!” He beamed at him, his eyes lighting up at the thought of Martin and Jon. 

Martin sniffed, a slight wetness in his eyes that was barely noticeable. He smiled with Tim, nodding his head. “Okay. Yeah.”

Tim pulled back and clapped his hands together, cheering. “Operation Archival Assistant is underway!” A few people started staring, but Tim could care less.

“We are not calling it that,” Martin said, grinning.

“I like the name,” said Sasha.

“The name is non-negotiable, my friend,” Tim said, smiling as he took a swig of his drink.

“Operation Archival Assistant… okay,” Martin said, taking in a deep breath and putting his glass up to his lips. It seemed that tonight was going to be a lot more memorable than he thought it was going to be… He sighed and drank, mostly for the courage he hoped it’d give him.

Another short while had passed. Everyone got their dinner, and yet another round (although Martin drank this glass much slower than the other two), and everyone was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. The warm and fuzzy feeling had grown, starting in the belly and spreading all the way throughout the body, up into the brain, spilling out of everyone’s mouth. The laughter was contagious, and everybody felt wonderful.

Tim was in the middle of telling a story about his older brother, Danny, when Jon reached the table, wearing a sweater but still freezing from the December air. “Hello everyone,” he said, “sorry I’m so late.”

The table broke out into a symphony of “Jon!” and “you made it,” everyone beaming at the sight of his face. Yes, he looked just as grumpy and tired as ever, but it really was nice to see him.

“Come, sit,” Tim smiled, gesturing to the (only) empty space in the booth next to Martin.

Jon smiled for the first time tonight and sat down next to Martin. Martin shot Tim a “really?” look. Tim just smiled back at him. In his defense, it was the only available seat at the table.

Jon settled himself into his seat, fixing his shirt and brushing a piece of hair away from his face. Martin couldn’t catch himself staring at Jon and his hair before it was too late, and Jon looked over his shoulder to see Martin looking right at him.

Martin’s eyes widened and he threw his head back to Tim, his face turning red almost instantly. “So, uh, Tim, what were you saying about your brother?”

...Okay, maybe it is that obvious.

Tim smiled, continuing his story. After a few moments, he picked up his phone and looked at the screen. “One sec, I gotta respond to this text.”

After a few seconds, Martin’s phone buzzed. He picked it up and looked at his messages.

Tim Stoker: ask him how his day was ;) i’ll start talking to sash so it’s not weird

Martin shot Tim a look, and Tim just smiled back at him innocently.

Tim turned to Sasha. “Oh, Sash, you know what that reminds me of, that one time Danny and I went…”

Jon only had a few seconds to be confused as to why Tim decided to only start talking to Sasha, because Martin had turned to him and took a deep breath. “So, how was your day, Jon?”

Jon looked at Martin and smiled, just enough that it was barely noticeable. “It was alright. How about you, Martin?”

“Uh, great!” Martin said, already losing his momentum, and quick. “Anything… new? Happen?”

“Not really. You know how it is in the archives.” Jon opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could, the waiter came over and asked Jon what he’d like to drink. “Just water, thank you.” He turned back to Martin. “I don’t drink. Not sure if you knew that.” Martin didn’t. “Makes me feel a little silly, coming to a pub on a Friday night and just having water.”

“Well, at least you’re drinking water for once,” Martin said. He instantly regretted it, and he was about to apologize, when Jon laughed. Martin softened, his tensed body relaxing. Hey, he made Jon laugh. He smiled, laughing along a bit too.

“Well, you’re right about that,” Jon said, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms, looking around the pub. “I’m not the best at taking care of myself, I won’t try and deny it.”

“A glass of water is a good place to start.”

Jon looked back at Martin and smiled. “You’re right.”

Martin smiled even harder. “And I’m happy you’re with us tonight. It’s not everyday that I see you outside of work and…” He paused for a moment, thinking of the right words to verbalize his emotions with. “I like being around you.” It was simple, but he knew it got his thoughts across right. He glanced at Tim, a subconscious way of asking for emotional support, and in the tiny moment he looked at him, he swore he could see Tim wink.

Jon looked Martin up and down. Usually, he was incredibly annoyed by him, all his hesitancy and arse-kissing. But for some reason, tonight? He was charming. He looked soft and gentle, and you could practically see how big his heart was by looking into his eyes. His eyes that seemed to… sparkle under the lights… Jon cleared his throat. “Thank you, Martin.” His smile faded, and he tapped his fingers on the table, looking around the room.

Martin’s heart sank. He picked up his phone - there was already a message from Tim.

Tim Stoker: YES MARTIN!!! WE’RE ROOTING FOR YOU 🎉🎉🎉

Martin smiled a tiny bit, his eyebrows still furrowed.

Marto: Did I say something wrong?

Martin watched as Tim picked up his phone and started typing.

Tim Stoker: i didn’t hear, what happened?

Marto: I told him I liked being around him and he just said thanks and didn’t look at me

Tim Stoker: douche :(

Martin smiled, looking up at Tim who was smiling back. Tim looked down and started typing again, and Martin looked down at his own screen as well.

Tim Stoker: like i said, he’s a coward, he probasblu just didn’t know how to respond

Tim Stoker: *probably

Tim Stoker: don’t let it deter you! I think he liked it! keep going!!

Marto: Are you sure?

Tim Stoker: positive! if he’s uncomfortable then he’ll tell you to stop. but i really did think he liked it. i feel like he’s into you! keep going, my friend!! be the flirty bastard you were destined to be

Martin chuckled softly, and looked up at Tim. He nodded, and Tim nodded back.

When Martin looked back at Jon, he was taking a sip of his water. He guessed the waiter brought it to him when he was texting Tim.

“Uh, Jon?” Martin asked.

Jon swallowed the water in his mouth and turned to Martin. “Yes?”

Maybe it was the beer in the system, or the nod from Tim, or maybe even just the fact that Jon was sitting right next to him. Maybe it was just because Martin is incredibly stupid, and he was making a mistake and shouldn’t say what he was planning on saying dear god. Yet, he took a deep breath, looked right into Jon’s eyes and told him - “You look nice tonight.” (And he didn’t stutter once.)

For a moment, the entire pub stood still. Everything was suspended in a bubble of anticipation. Tim and Sasha stopped their joking and stared agape at the scene in front of them - Martin sitting there, red, his mouth open slightly, and Jon, a slight pink creeping up on his cheeks, somehow looking even more surprised than Martin. Every single thing stood still, and it felt as if complete strangers, pub goers and staff alike, stopped to listen to how Jon would reply.

And after a moment, when Jon wasn’t utterly stunned, when he regained his composure and his breath, he said - “You look handsome tonight, Martin.” It was quiet, almost a whisper, but he meant it. He didn't need to think about it or search for an answer - he knew what he wanted to say, and for some reason, after tonight, he didn’t feel like hiding it anymore.

After that, everyone could breathe. The music seemed to start playing again and life went back to normal. Martin blushed even deeper - god he could feel how red he was - and he couldn’t help but giggle, both due to his nerves and the fact that Jon just said that he was handsome oh my god. Jon smiled too, letting out a small, breathy laugh. Martin scooted just a tiny bit closer, and Jon let him. Martin could hear his phone buzzing rapidly on the table, Tim sending him text after text, but he didn’t look at it. All he wanted right now was to look into Jon’s soft and slightly embarrassed eyes, nothing else in the pub (or the world, really) mattering.

After that, the night felt more natural. There were no more awkward hellos or conversation starters - everything flowed perfectly, each conversation jumping from the last. There were no boring moments, just drinks and chips and throats sore from laughing and gasping at gossip.

Another hour or so had passed, filled with laughter and love. Martin finished his drink and settled with water, Sasha had one more, and Tim had… quite a few more. While everyone was laughing and drinking, a karaoke machine was being set up by some company the pub had hired, and Tim practically jumped out of his seat when he saw it. “Guys, guys,” he said, grinning ear to ear and pointing to the back of the pub where it was being set up, “guys, holy shit, there’s karaoke, I didn’t know they were doing that tonight holy shit,” he nudged Sasha out of the booth seat and jumped out, half-jogging over to the machine. There was a line forming, and participants had to write their name and what song they’d like to sing. He instantly got in line, and when it came his turn to sign up, he wrote his name and picked a song out from a large binder. He jogged back to the table, frowning, sad that no one had followed him. “Aw, isn’t anyone else gonna do it with me?”

Martin thought for a second before deciding ‘ah, screw it’ and saying “I’ll do it.”

Both Tim and Sasha cheered at this, and Tim grabbed his arm and pulled him out of his seat, dragging Jon with him.

“You wanna go, Jon?” Martin asked.

“Oh, no,” he smiled nervously, “I don’t really, uh, sing.” He sat back down.

“Sashaaa,” Tim sang, looking at her.

“ Not tonight. Tim,” Sasha said, smiling at him. “I’m a little tired.”

“You two are lame,” Tim teased, slurring slightly. He took Martin by the hand and walked him over to the karaoke machine.

At this point, the line was gone, and the machine was done being set up. The man operating the machine had gone up to the microphone and officially called up the first singer. Tim led Martin to the side, where he showed him the binder full of available songs. Martin flipped through the pages (for a much longer time than Tim had) and picked out a song. He wrote down his name and song choice, and smiled up at Tim.

“Nice,” Tim beamed, grabbing his hand again. He started walking back to the table with him. “You know, I don’t know if I’ve ever heard you sing before.”

“I don’t do it often. Not in front of others, at least. I get a little nervous.”

“Don’t be nervous,” Tim said, his words dragging together. “Iss just for fun! No one’s gonna be mean to ya.”

“Yeah,” Martin smiled, “you’re right.” If there was anyone he’d want to do this in front of, it’d be his friends. He trusted them.

The two got back to the table, and Martin seemed to be the only one embarrassed at the fact that they were still holding hands. He gently removed his hand from Tim’s, missing the contact, his hand feeling oddly cold now. Jon scooched into the seat, leaving room for Martin to sit. He switched their drinks around so they were in front of the right man.

Tim stood next to Sasha, holding her and rocking in time to the Eagles song a random pub goer was drunkenly singing along to. He took her drink, laughing as he took a sip from it.

“Tim, do you really need to be drinking any more?”

“Iss fine, Sash, ‘m not drivin’.”

She took the drink from his hands and placed it down on the table. She stood up, having Tim sit down in her place. “I’m gonna get you a glass of water. Don’t have any more to drink.”

“Okaay muuum,” he giggled, propping his elbow up on the table and resting his cheek on his palm.

“You,” Sasha said, pointing to Jon. “babysit him.”

“Uh, yes ma’am,” Jon said, smiling at the absurdity of it all. Just earlier today, Jon was scolding Tim for sloppy work. Now, he had to keep watch over him and forbid him from having anymore to drink. These work outings felt like a whole alternate universe to him, where all the relationships he knew went down the drain, and there are completely new boundaries to be crossed. That was a part of the reason why he didn't go to these that often. Itr felt strange. He had to admit, though, he was having fun tonight. That was mainly because Martin was there, sitting next to him, saying he looked good tonight. And he was just.... Well, he was Martin, looking soft and perfect in his jumper, his eyes soft from intoxication and frequent smiling. He looked lovely. He was lovely.

But no time for that right now. He has to babysit! Tim reached for Sasha’s almost empty drink, and Jon scolded him. “Tim, did you not hear what Sasha literally just said?”

“‘M jus’ finishing the last sip,” Tim slurred, “she won’t even know. If you don’t tell her, that is.”

“We won’t tell her,” Martin said, reaching over and taking the glass from his hands, “but you’re still not gonna do it.” Martin slid the glass over to his side of the table, out of Tim’s reach.

Tim pouted, crossing his arms. “We were karaoke buddies and everything, Martin.” He smiled, not being able to hold it back and feign sadness anymore.

Martin couldn’t help but laugh. “We still are karaoke buddies, Tim. You’re just too shitaced.”

Jon snorted. “Never heard you say that before, Martin.”

“Oh, I swear all the time, Jon. Just not in front of you.”

“What, are you scared he’ll clutch his pearls and find you obscene?” Tim asked, teasing, a grin on his face.

“Fuck off, Tim.” Martin grinned back.

Jon practically cackled, throwing his hand over his mouth. “Well, that's a first!” He picked up his glass. “I’ll drink to that, my friend,” he laughed, taking a sip of his Coca-Cola.

Sasha came back with a glass of water for Tim, and another for herself. “Here,” she said, placing down one of the glasses in front of him, “have some.”

Tim nodded and took a sip. His mouth was dry, so it did feel good. He ended up drinking half the glass before his name was called up to sing.

“Ooh, ooh, that’s me!” Tim grinned, running up to the back of the pub where he grabbed the microphone. The other three walked up to the karaoke machine, finding spots to stand within view of Tim, as a familiar piano intro began.

“This song? Really?” Jon asked, looking over at Martin as the two snickered.

“Just a small town girl…”

Sasha whooped and clapped her hands together, her cheer being the only one among all the onlookers.

“Living in a lonely world… She took the midnight train going anyyyywhere…”

Martin beamed - seeing drunk Tim sing Journey might be his favorite part of tonight so far. He looked over at Jon, who was smiling at Tim, his eyes glossy with joy and love. The lights were different back here - it wasn’t the same orange as the rest of the bar, but instead it was much darker, with green and red Christmas lights hanging overhead. Jon looked different - the lights highlighted him at different angles, making him look sharper, a bit more rugged. He looked strong. Martin felt safe, standing next to him.

“Just a city boy…”

Martin looked to Tim, then back to Jon. There was something he wanted to do, and if Tim wasn’t wasted, he knew he’d help him through it.

With the Christmas lights and Tim singing and the warm pub air and what seemed like the very universe itself all cheering him on, Martin slowly but surely reached for Jon’s hand.

Jon looked at Martin, their eyes meeting. Jon pulled his hand away, holding onto his opposite arm. The air was deathly quiet again. The universe seemed to shift to somewhere that was darker, colder, and it moved fast enough that Martin lost his footing. He had to run to avoid being swallowed whole. He had to run. He turned around and headed for the door.

“Martin, wait,” Jon said, following after him.

Martin ignored him. There was a flood building up inside of him. He needed to go. Jon was saying something, but he didn’t listen. He went to the front of the building, grabbing his jacket from the coat rack and heading out the door. Jon didn’t take his jacket or scarf he came in with, not wanting to lose track of Martin once he headed out the door. Even muffled, the sounds from inside the bar were too loud. Everything was too loud. It hurt.

“Martin, come back,” Jon said, trailing behind him.

Martin couldn’t say anything. I mean, what could he say? He fucked up. Jon doesn’t like him. He never did. He probably just made him really uncomfortable and ruined his night and why was he still following him?

“Martin, please, just let me talk-”

Martin threw himself around, tears brimming the surface. “Do you want an apology?” he asked, his voice weak. “Because I can apologize, I’m sorry, Jon.”

“No, Martin, I don’t want an apology, I need to tell you something.”

“I’m sorry, Jon,” Martin said, his lip trembling as the tears in his eyes began to freeze in the December air. “I shouldn’t have and I must have made you so uncomfortable and I feel horrible and I’m so sor-”

“I liked it,” Jon said.

There was a stillness for a moment, where the whole world faded away. It was only Martin, letting out a long needed shaky breath, and Jon, staring at him and his sad eyes. He felt something welling up inside him, too, although he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

“You… you did?”

“Yes,” Jon said softly, sighing. “I did.”

“I thought… I mean, you pulled away-”

“I got scared. I panicked,” Jon said, putting his hands in his pockets. “I… I didn’t know how to react. I felt… loved.” He looked up at Martin, looking into his eyes. “I feel loved. And- and I don’t know what to do about it. I don’t want to ruin anything. I don’t want to ruin you.”

Martin took a step forward. “You won’t ruin me.” And another one. “Jon, you’d never ruin me.” Another one. “You’re a good person. You make me feel loved, too.” He took another step, until he was right in front of him.

Jon sighed, looking down. “I’m not sure what to do about… any of this.”

“Well, we can start with this.” Martin held his hand in front of Martin. He didn’t regret his decision, and he didn’t wish he could take it back. He felt sure. He felt loved.

Jon looked up at him, and without thinking, without analyzing, he took his hand.

Martin smiled, and he couldn’t help but laugh as the warmth swelled in his heart. He used his free hand to wipe his eyes. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Jon asked.

“For trusting me,” Martin said, squeezing Jon’s hand.

Jon smiled back. “I… I’m sorry. For pulling away. I don’t want to pull away. Not anymore. Not right now.”

“It’s alright, Jon,” Martin said, giving him a reassuring smile. “We’re both figuring it out. Together.”

Jon sighed shakily, and squeezed Martin’s hand back. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“Of course,” Martin whispered back. He felt loved. They felt loved.

Martin slowly leaned in for a hug, and Jon closed the gap between them.

And for a perfect, soft moment, it was only Jon and Martin in the world, the snowflakes leaving kisses and the moon shining a perfect spotlight down on them.

Martin had a new favorite moment from tonight.

But, as warm as Martin was, it was too cold outside for Jon to be out here without a coat. He shivered, and Martin felt it.

Martin pulled back. “Oh, sorry! I wouldn’t have kept you out here if I knew you didn’t have a coat on. I didn’t even notice until just now.”

“It’s alright,” Jon said, “I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“I am. Thank you.” The two smiled at each other, and Martin wiped his eyes a final time. “Let’s head back inside,” Martin said, handing Jon his coat for the walk back. Jon didn’t protest, and simply wore it with a soft smile.

When they walked back inside, Tim and Sasha were looking everywhere for them. “Oh, Tim, I found them!” Sasha called behind her when she spotted the two. Tim came running up to them. “God, we thought you guys ran off or something! Where were you?”

“We, uh…” Martin started.

“We had to talk something out,” Jon said, finishing Martin’s sentence. This time, it was Jon who reached for Martin’s hand. “But we're alright now.” Martin’s heart soared at the feeling of Jon’s hand in his, and he grinned at him, Jon smiling back.

Tim’s mouth flew open, and he threw his hands up in the air and cheered. “I knew it!” He looked at Sasha, practically jumping up and down. “Sash, you owe me a tenner!”

“Wait, you guys were betting-?” Jon asked.

“I’ll explain it later,” Martin said, and all of them smiled.

An announcement roared through the pub. “Martin Blackwood to the stage please, Martin Blackwood to the stage.”

Martin looked to Jon and smiled. “I guess it’s my turn!”

He walked up to the stage and smiled as his friends trailed behind him, Tim cheering so loud that Sasha had to punch him in the arm to get him to shut up.

Martin walked up to the small stage area, grabbing the microphone. The music started, and as he looked out into the audience, all he saw was Jon, Sasha, and Tim all looking up at him and smiling. He took a breath, and as the music went on, he began to sing.

“Wise men say ‘only fools rush in’... But III caaan’t heelp falling in love with you.”

Martin looked out into the audience, and he saw Jon looking up at him, his eyes sparkling under the Christmas lights, a dopey grin on his face.

Martin felt loved.

He finished the song, a lovely, warm feeling in his chest, and when he finished, a lot of people in the pub cheered (although his friends cheered the loudest by far).

He hopped off the stage and walked back to Jon, instantly reaching for his hand. “That was wonderful, Martin,” Jon said.

“Yeah, I didn’t know you could sing,” Tim slurred, a huge grin on his face, “god, I gotta make you sing more often.”

Sasha gave Tim a glare, then looked back to Martin. “That was lovely. You’ve got a talent.”

Martin laughed, squeezing Jon’s hand, and he felt Jon squeeze it back. “Thank you guys,” he beamed, “really. I had a lot of fun tonight.”

“Me too,” Sasha said.

“And me,” Jon said, softly.

“I don’t know if you guys are going home, but I need to get the waiter’s number before I leave…”

Everyone laughed at this (except Tim, who was not joking even a little bit, thank you). But yes, Tim had a good time to, and he told them. “Thank you guys for tonight,” Tim said, still slurring a bit. “It was lovely.”

“Yeah, we gotta do this again sometime,” Sasha said. “It was great. You guys are amazing.”

Everyone smiled, basking in the feeling. They said their goodbyes, split the bill, and Sasha and Tim both called themselves taxis. They met outside, bundled up against the weather.

“Thank you for tonight,” Martin said, breaking the comfortable silence. “I’m glad I came out with you guys tonight.” Everyone smiled at him, and Jon leaned into him.

A cab pulled up on the side of the road. “I think that’s for me,” Sasha said. She gave everyone a quick hug and gave Tim a kiss on the forehead before heading out. “Bye guys,” she smiled. “Get home safe.” She waved as the cab pulled down the road. A minute later, a cab came for Tim, and he hugged the two men as well. When he hugged Martin, he whispered into his ear - “Operation Archival Assistant was a success. You’re welcome, Marto.” Martin chuckled, hugging Tim back. “Thank you, Tim.” Tim blew them a kiss as he got into his cab and drove away.

“I, uh, take the tube home,” Jon said.

“Me too,” Martin replied. He held his hand out to Jon, and Jon took it with a smile. He started walking down the road, in the direction of the station. “You can sleep on me the ride home, if you’d like. I’ve been told I’m very comfortable to sleep on.” He grinned, and Jon couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m sure you will be, Martin.” He leaned against him as the two walked in tandem, and he squeezed his hand, the snow falling on them silently. “I’m sure you will be.”


End file.
